- From: Mike Taylor <mike@tecc.co.uk>
- Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 14:54:01 GMT
- To: rden@loc.gov
- CC: www-zig@w3.org, SusanDevine@cox.rr.com, pharris@niso.org
> Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 11:40:57 -0500 > From: Ray denenberg <rden@loc.gov> > > Thinking about the time I've spent over the last ten years prettying-up > ASN.1 files that have been damaged in conversion makes me shudder (I > wanted to say "makes me sick", but again, counseling has helped here). Ray, "I feel your pain", as the guy from _Star Trek V_ says (although see the wonderful review at http://www.jabootu.com/startrekv.htm for a different perspective.) Nevertheless, I can't help thinking that you're apportioning the blame in the wrong quarter here when you say: > Please understand that this is not intended as a criticism of the > NISO publishing process (they're doing a fine job) but rather at > ASN.1. > The process of preparing Z39.50 for publication as a standard involves > conversion from one word processing system to another, including desktop > publishing systems (and several iterations of conversion from one to > another). The process generally works well. However, ASN.1 just doesn't > withstand these conversions. How is that ASN.1's fault? It's a chunk a raw text which asks nothing more than to be left alone, transcribed unchanged from one format to the next. No fancy formatting tricks are necessary -- in fact your problems almost certainly come from one of the WP packages trying to get _too_ cute. How is that ASN.1's fault? I suggest addressing the overly intricate and baroque sequence of conversions that the NISO publishing process seems to require. With all that said -- > Well, I'm willing to spend the time it takes to fix this, but I want > it to be the absolute last time in my life that I go through this > process. That's why I'm taking this unusual step [of keeping all > the ASN.1 in a single consolidated document] -- I don't see why anyone would object to this. I certainly don't, anyway. _/|_ _______________________________________________________________ /o ) \/ Mike Taylor <mike@miketaylor.org.uk> www.miketaylor.org.uk )_v__/\ "I never make predictions and I never will" -- Paul Gascoigne.
Received on Wednesday, 21 November 2001 09:54:12 UTC